


Our Kiss 2.0

by blacksoulwithredsoles



Category: Star Trek: Discovery
Genre: F/M, Friendship, Spoilers 1x07, Work, kiss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-06
Updated: 2017-11-06
Packaged: 2019-01-30 04:31:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12646140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blacksoulwithredsoles/pseuds/blacksoulwithredsoles
Summary: While they missed their first kiss, their second had Burnham feeling betwixt and bewildered.





	Our Kiss 2.0

**Author's Note:**

> I think I finally have nailed their characters! It took me a while to but it has finally happened. I wanted to get this up a few days ago but it did escape me, but I wanted to finish this before watching 1x08.
> 
> Happy Reading.

There were several things Michael Burnham enjoyed about the USS Discovery, but recently it has been the spacious corridors that allowed her to run, run as far as she wanted to go. Unlike the Shenzhou, the newer starship was conducive for training, with larger decks than the older starship – perfect for running.

Lately all Michael Burnham did was run.

Somehow the sweat, the focus and the direction allowed her to channel her confusion into something productive, like a mini-mission to start her day.

One of the other things she enjoyed about the Discovery is that she wasn’t first officer. For the first time in her adult life she is able to bond with other humans, forge friendships and navigate the tumultuous emotions of humanity.

Though it is these emotions that are the cause of her yearning to run.

Grief.

_Lap._

Sadness.

_Lap._

Joy.

_Lap._

Confusion.

_Lap._

Curiosity.

_Lap._

Heartbreak.

_Lap._

Friendship.

_Lap._

Affection.

_Lap._

Her mind has been trained like a Vulcan. She seeks logic as her first principal in any course of action, followed simply by an assessment of need. Vulcans do things that are purposeful, not for pleasure or leisure but rather as a necessity. While her mind is built like a Vulcan – always calculating – her body, that’s all human. Serving aboard the Discovery has opened the faucet to an ebb of emotions, which have until now have been suppressed and unrealized.

These emotions have all come to a head with one individual, Lieutenant Ash Tyler.

Hence, the reason for the running.

_Lap._

Of all the Discovery crew he is the one who is materializing the most bewildering of emotions.

_Lap._

Cadet Tilly has shown Burnham the benefits of friendship, she is the embodiment of humanities strengths and weaknesses. Captain Lorca is an enigma. He is a war hardened man who has taken a chance on the renegade member of Starfleet, his explanation is to win the war but in quiet moments shared between the pair he has become more than that. If Captain Georgiou showed her humanities kindness and compassion, Lorca has illuminated its strength and brutality. Despite starting off as an adversary, Lieutenant Staments has become an unexpected friend. His augmented person becoming a bewildering concept of emotions that are startling the emotionally repressed human. He has surpassed his partner, Doctor Culber in the embodiment of various facers of humanity. Burnham expected Culber to be the emotional type, but after his partners exuberant display of emotion he has become more subdued, making the pair once again evenly balanced – a strength of human relationships she is sure. Then there is First Officer Saru, not a human but still makes Burnham feel a plethora of emotions. As of late he has warmed to her presence on the Discovery, even sharing a meal with her. He reminds her of her mistakes, and offers her a piece of salvation. Lieutenant Ash Tyler has stirred a mixture of feelings in the not quite human woman. Despite his time in captivity the man is always gracing a smile on his supple lips. He continues to uplift those around him and she is no exception. He engages her questions into emotion; is patient with her lack of emotional understanding; and encourages her to delve into her human emptions at her own pace. The pair have shared meals together frequently as well as serving well together in their duties. He has drawn on her technical expertise on numerous occasions and in turn she pulls on his embodiment of humanity to further her own growth. She finds his assessment of her emotions not as a judgment from years of Vulcan conditioning as other members of the crew regard her - but as a curiosity to help her further her own interpretation of humanity. He takes solace in her wide-eyed questions about emotion and is endeared by the logical steps she takes to reason those emotions. These emotions all came to a head when the pair was recalibrating the sensors.

_“I don’t understand it.”_

_The statement wasn’t an unfamiliar one to Lieutenant Ash Tyler considering the words have spilled out of Michael Burnham’s mouth several times in the last months._

_He waited until the door to enter the Jefferies tube closed behind him before responding, “What isn’t there to understand Burnham?”_

_She moved in front of him, more familiar with the ships schematics than he, she knew the best route through the bowels of their ship to reconnect the relays._

_“Why did Doctor Culber get mad about Lieutenant Staments? He was trying to protect the ship, to protect him.”_

_She was referring to the morning’s blow out conversation as Lt Staments finally awoke after administering more of the cells than prohibited per day – which resulted in a loss of consciousness. Yes the Discovery was on a dangerous mission but they all are, and Doctor Culber couldn’t contain his frustration at his partner._

_“Love overpowers logic,” he paused, “in the event of Staments sacrificing himself to save Dr. Culber, the doctor would never get over the loss of his partner, while Staments would never forgive himself for his inaction. Love takes all of the power out of logic because in a different scenario, if Staments had to protect Doctor Culber or a random crew member, who would he choose?”_

_Burnham quirked her head inquisitively and opened another hatch, “His affection for Doctor Culber would mean he wouldn’t choose another. But what if Doctor Culber’s chance of survival was lessened, then wouldn’t it be prudent to choose the individual with the best chance of success?”_

_“Burnham. Logic does not apply when the one you love is in danger. Your emotions are running too high for your logic to be sound.”_

_The pair continued in silence – a frequent setting for them – as Burnham catalogued each of his words._

_She removed the panel and reached back for a hyperspanner._

_“So for love, the needs of the many don’t outweigh the needs of the few.”_

_“Correct,” he nodded even though she wasn’t facing him._

_“For the record,” he paused, “I would have made the same choice if I was in Staments position.”_

_“I don’t understand.”_

_“I would protect you at any means necessary.”_

_This time Burnham paused, interpreting his meaning._

_She stopped her work and moved back to glance at him, surprised to find him intently staring at her._

_“I don’t understand why though. Why would you put my needs above your own or those of the crew?”_

_Her orbs were filled with confounding emotions, trying to catalogue his physical queues._

_“Because Burnham…” he licked his lips, “I feel affection towards you,” he continued._

_A moment after his revelation she continued, “I don’t understand it, but I feel the same towards you.”_

_She turned back around, not witnessing his shell-shocked expression at her words._

_She continued, “You make me feel emotions I never thought I could feel and it is unsettling. I don’t know what to do with them.”_

_“You make me feel happy and light while all I should be feeling is despair and grief.”_

_They continued to work in silence, with him handing her tools while the glow of the conduit enabled her to continue her work._

_Before she completed her work she turned to face him._

_She allowed her emotions to take precedence and discarded her logic. Leaning forward she cusped his stubble cheek in her hand and his involuntarily closed at the motion. He missed her moving until there was a single breath between them. Only moving when he felt her supple lips on his._

_Automatically he moved, his lips moving across hers in a languid fashion, much like their first forgotten kiss.  
Both of their eyes opened simultaneously when they broke apart._

_He watched as emotions flickered across her face, the paramount of which was doubt._

_Sensing her panic over the impulse action he gripped the hand still cupping his jaw, “Easy Burnham.”_

_Those words instantly relaxed her, allowing her to revel in her actions and not anything further, not expecting anything further._

_She turned to face the conduit again, giving a final inspection of her work._

_In the glow of the conduit she murmured, “At least we didn’t miss our second kiss.”_

_As she referred to their time in Mudd’s time loop he couldn’t help but smile._

_“Yeah…”_

_The two exited the Jefferies tube with a smile gracing their faces._

That was the last time she saw Lieutenant Tyler, it has been two days since their encounter in the bowels of the ship. Why was she avoiding him? Embarrassment first came to mind. Embarrassment of her actions, of the situation perhaps but not of him. She couldn’t fault him for being so understanding, so patiently with her – if anything he has offered her the space to sort through her emotions.

Sorting through them is what had her running.

_Lap._

Her thought came to a halt when she literally collided with the object of her confusion outside of the mess.

“Wow!” he exclaimed, gripping her arm to steady her.

“I’m sorry Lieutenant,” she said, heartbeat still elevated.

“Almost done Burnham?” he referred to her exercise.

Looking up at him she watched the laughter spilling out onto his face and couldn’t help the relief she felt at the simple gesture, “Just about.”

“Finish up and I’ll save you a seat in the mess?”

She nodded, watching as he entered the dining area before resuming her lap around the deck at a more sedate pace.

And if finding him in the mess hall with his damn green smoothie and a burrito waiting for her didn’t bring a smile to her face, she didn’t know what would.

Maybe emotions are confusing, but the joy in seeing his laugh reverberated through her – maybe it’s worth exploring.

**Author's Note:**

> Thoughts?
> 
> Send requests to get us through the hiatus.
> 
> As always Kudos is love for the heart.


End file.
